Past year's memories.... anyone have pics or stories?

[TazErase]

Don't have any of my own pics from last year, but I'll scan parts of the newspaper where they had 3 pictures of me and did a whole story on the first people on line for any stores in my town. On the newspaper's website there were lots of negative comments about how we were crazy and ruining the holiday spirit and stuff, but I wonder how many of them were among the many that came up asking me to help them get some of the top deals that they arrived too late for.

[lorilwayne]

I do 24 hours no sleep a lot since I work nights. It's more normal to sleep during the day.

[jakesmommy403]

Last year I had gotten most of my shopping done and was sitting there on Thanksgiving thinking "I can't believe I don't even have to go out tonight"...My bro is my BF buddy, so we looked through the ads and looked online a little bit. The BF bug started to bite...then my brother sat down at my computer at midnight to get some deals from TRU and his cart kept emptying before he could purchase anything. We looked at each other, threw our shoes on, and out the door we went! Lol. We started at WM and got a bunch of awesome stuff, then hit Target and loaded up on more stuff. We came back to my house to wait for Kmart and Lowes to open, and wrapped gifts and drank coffee. We headed back out at 4 to hit Kmart, and then finished up at Lowes. Now we know that no matter how much we've already bought before BF, we'll still want to head out that night, so we're ready! :)

[NYshopper]

Last year DH and I took my SIL for the first time with us on BF. We were waiting at WM for the Nintendo DS for our DS. So in our WM the way it worked was they had us wait in an isle until 4am (could have been 5am I forget now) for the item. So we were there around 2 and sat in the isle for 2 hours waiting. WELL this was the cleaning products isle...So like after 2 hours were all kinda high from the fumes of all the chemicals! Add that to no sleep. (we were on line at TRU by 8pm before going there.) We were laughing and getting really goofy! Then this woman in the next isle shows up and starts yelling about how she didn't know they opened at 12 blah blah blahh and Me, DH and my SIL are laying on our coats in the chemical isle hysterical laughing and reading magazines someone took from the registers to read while we waited! It was a blast. SIL only made it to like one more store after this before falling asleep in the car. I WISH I had a picture of this moment! This thread has inspired me to take some pictures this year with my phone! I <3 BF

[stationchief]

Only memory I have is sleeping in. Didn't do any shopping last BF.

[peifgirl]

Only thing that sticks out from last year was the lady who brought her baby with barely any clothes on (in IL) and tried to let us at the head of the line cut in. We were out in from of TRU, I got there at 6:30pm and I was 10th in line. The cop made her leave with the baby. Then these two chicks just walked up and cut in from of the the people ahead of me. She tried to use the excuse that her friend who left at 7pm said she could stand there WTF???? Um she left she gets no say in who takes over her spot. The cop told her to leave or get arrest. She threw the worst hissy fit I have ever seen on BF. I can't believe she actually thought that excuse would work.

 

 

 

The worst memory would be the fact that nothing is open from the time the stores are opening till 5am. Our only choice is Steak n Shake (burger joint) and last year it took us 30 mins to go through the drive thru. Even if their stuff is made to order that is ridiculous. All I wanted was coffee or something not burger and fries.

[tinkrbel]

my memories from last year is marred by having to call around multiple Walmart's then drive to the few who didn't answer to exchange the non netflix player for the other model. I ended up paying a little more but getting it through Walmart.com since I had originally placed order online and THEIR description was wrong. While we were driving to Walmarts around town we saw SO many accident waiting to happen. It was already dark so maybe 7/8 pm but people were still taking red light 4-5 cars after the light had changed etc, this town is ridiculous.

[brinak2005]

BF pics are sooo fun. I would love to see pics of u guys laid out in the aisle reading magazines, high on cleaning fumes...lol. I decided I am taking my digital camera this year, instead of just using my phone. There are way too many photo ops on BF to take the chance of missing out..lol

[georgiarose2004]

Last year was soo much fun. Except for the stores starting there sales at midnight. Me and my Mom met my Aunt at the Wal-Mart around 2:30am. (like we have for the past 13 years). My Aunt was already in line for a PS3 for my cousin. She had also wanted one of the HDTV's on sale but we couldn't find out were to go to get a ticket for that. So, mY mom and Aunt are sitting in line in the Shoe's Isle while I am going around the store(the best I can with a Buggy) trying to see if there was anything else left that we might of had on our list to buy. So I'm just walking around.. I keep getting cell phone call's from them about things they want me to look for, and get them something to drink.. and well you get the picture. Then I get this Histerical Phone call from my aunt... Some guy over heard her say she wanted a TV that was on sale, but getting her son's present was more important, and just gave her his Ticket for the Tv. She was about in tears while she was telling me. It was great.. I even found my buggy later and nothing had been taken out of it. Best BF ever!!! We did other stores and was out and about till 4pm but that was the most memorable. Well that and waiting in the kohl's parking lot for my dad to bring his truck so we could make more room in the car, while eatting breakfast and waiting for my Aunt who had to drive to the back of wal-mart and wait in another line to pick up her TV. :)

[Lusha121]

I went WITH my dh for the first time ever. usually we divide and conquer,but doing wally world, i thought i might need the back up after hearing all the horror stories. NEVER did Walmart before. and where we are it is scary. so we drove to the next town south @ 11pm (very rich people) walked in, got in line for the big ticket item (only 5 rock bands in the store and only one was for the WII), heck he was first! ding! time to go, The store was silent for 30 seconds and then all you hears was the tear of plastic then a cfollective "YAHOO" from the crowd. It was a rush, BUT EVERYONE was all Please, and thank you and OH! sorry! excuse me, thanks And I am braced for the worst! I asked the gals around the jammmies if you see any jammies in this size, chuck them at me as they were grabbing for themselves, they grabbed what they thought my kids would like, in the CORRECT sizes for each of my 4 kids (mixed lot of boys and girls) politley handed them to me and here I am standing here going, WTH! I thought this was walmart?!?! Guess I am going back to walmart this year...

But the best part was my mom calling me at 1 am going, OH! cant you just grab this tv thing from meijer??? well what do you mean I had to be in line for that yesterday? Why won't you pick it up for me, I'll pay you back! mind you I've been doing this for 10 years, and taking her with me for the last 7. she knows better, yet at 12pm she convinently forgets.... every year!

[NYshopper]

BF pics are sooo fun. I would love to see pics of u guys laid out in the aisle reading magazines, high on cleaning fumes...lol. I decided I am taking my digital camera this year, instead of just using my phone. There are way too many photo ops on BF to take the chance of missing out..lol

I can't wait to see them!!

[BFQueenofNY]

I brought my neighbor with me and she had never done BF before. She was so excited about standing in line for things :) She was able to get her ds an $89 Nintendo DS and was so excited. She called up her family and had them come meet us. then we all went out for breakfast. Sometimes it's nice helping make fun memories for other people as well. It doesn't always have to be about pushing and shoving..although sometimes that's fun too <giggle>

[NYshopper]

My DH and I started BF shopping 8 years ago.

Boy have we learned a lot since then!

Our first year we went a little crazy and spent over $600 on just toys. (We had 1 dd 3 yrs old!) Now we use mostly cash and for the first time this year I have started to buy things before the BF ads are out.

We have fought for Hannah Montana dolls and I have shopped 3 months pregnant with morning sickness We have waited outside in freezing temps and watched stores get stormed with line cutters. I would do it all over again!

 

Over the years we have calmed down and really enjoy the day more. We love to see people in a frenzy

And we usually try for 1 big ticket sale item for our Kids.

I remember the first year we got up at 5am! (seems so late now!)

Our family thought we were nuts when we got up at 3am for Kohl's a few years back.

Then last year we were at TRU by 8pm!

I don't think we will ever stop BF shopping. (Well maybe when were like 80! ) We really love it and its a special time for us to have together. Our kids are safe and asleep at Grandmas and we get most of our Christmas shopping done in 1 day.

 

 

How long have you been shopping on BF?

How have you changed?

What is the biggest thing you have learned since you first started BF shopping?

[starbeck96]

I started BF shopping when my boys were about 3. I only went to our local Walmart that year, but I fell in love with it. My friend and I always went together, except the year her kids were sick with the flu. They boys are now 13 and we have a 5 year old daughter now also. This will be the first year that myhusband is going to go with me BF shopping. He is not very excited about it, but I am hoping after he sees all the great deals that he will change his mind.

 

I really have not changed the way I shop a whole lot. I did make the mistake of going to another Walmart one year and promised myself that I would never do it again. We live in a small town and even though our Walmart is crowded, it is not nearly as crowded as the bigger Walmarts. I usually do not go after the big ticket items, but this year that may change. One of my kids is wanting a PS3 and I would really like to get them both a new laptop each. But I am not sure if our finances will allow that..lol.

 

The biggest thing I have learned is the same thing you said. My friend and I go out to save money that year, but we also went out to just enjoy the day. That was our only day to go without kids and without husbands..lol. This year since I may need some big ticket items, I may have the boys to go with us to Walmart so they can sit in line while I get the other stuff we need..

[floridasun5]

I've actually calmed down on BF for the past several years. I think in the past 2 years, I went out on BF, but not until later in the morning once all the early morning crowds were gone. Its not that I avoid crowds, but my only dd is now 18 and there really hasnt been anything worthy of standing in line all night for. Plus with limited funds, I cant afford the large ticket items anymore.

 

When I was married, my ex was good about going out with me and there were plenty of nights that we spent all night long in line at Best Buy, camped out at Walmart, etc. but now, my bf doesn't want anything to do with BF. Plenty of good memories with hanging out and talking to the others in line, falling asleep in the chair at walmart and just the rush of getting that one item.

 

I try to get as good of deals as I can with regular BF deals, or deals up until Christmas, but unless there is something I have budgeted for and really need to save money on, I dont get up anymore super early.

 

It has been kind of interesting though that for the last few years (??) stores started opening up earlier and earlier on Thanksgiving night or about midnight, so depending upon what the sales look like this year and what I need, I might consider going to some of those. That is of course if my dd would ever give me a list. At 18, I have no idea what to buy her anymore LOL

[tinkrbel]

BF is not about the insanity for me, I go for deals and because it's become a tradition for us(mom&me). I do not enjoy large crowds and usually keep myself to myself, the exception being the year I turned up to BestBuy at 11pm (alone)Thanksgiving night and then I made small talk with people in line. The biggest changes for me have been a)who the gifts are for the stores we go to c) time stores open and d) less rebates. Preparation-wise I don't remember EVER having a list in the early years just the ad with items circled, now it's much more detailed. I make a list with stores organized by list of importance, detailing store opening times, item, price listing important items at ALL stores they're available at and then crossing multiples off as I buy while mother drives to next destination. I think early on my grandma would treat us to lunch at Long John Silvers (only fish I would eat) after all the running about, these days I shop til I drop. I just don't CARE for food, I may get hungry for a few minutes while standing in line somewhere but by the time I'm out I'm over it.

 

We used to buy toys for my cousins at KB Toys...the youngest turns 15 in January and the new generation(godson and nephew) get toys from the Target clearance sales.BF shopping now is mostly electronic stuff for us or computer hardware.

 

Back in the day I seem to remember the list as KB Toys followed by RadioShack in the same mall and then off to JCPenney for globes. KBToys no longer exists, Radio Shack deals aren't that great anymore BUT we still stop by JCPenney early every year for a few snowglobes.

 

I have no idea what time stores used to open (6-7am maybe) but we picked up my grandma a few times since she lived near mall w/KB, now the times keep creeping earlier. I don't remember ever missing out on what we wanted in the early BF years showing up maybe 10-15min before store opened but now you better be there ASAP for a chance to get whatever you need.

 

In the days of Circuit City and CompUSA I used to get steals AFTER rebates. I would spend all of Friday afternoon preparing,scanning/copying all of them before dropping at the post office on Saturday. Now the deals don't seem as great and rebates are for either PepBoys or JCPenney.

[ObiRich]

I started BF shopping in the early 90s. First one I really remember was when we were stationed at Fairchild AFB outside of Spokane. Drove into town about 5:00AM (stores opened at 6:00). Scored some good deals, and then had to brave an ice storm to get back home.

 

Have done the early morning thing for the past several years, but usually not at any of the big box stores the past few years. Last year was Office Depot...they have the best deal on a laptop for DW. Was great...they handed out tickets about a half hour before openning and so went next door to Target to warm up. Office Depot and Staples seem to be my first stops the past few years. Also got a major score at Circuit City later in the morning a year or two before they went belly up.

 

Did the outlet malls a couple years ago at midnight...was fun, and was back in town in time to get to the other places on time.

 

Used to do the Walmart thing before the stores here all went Supercenter. Got there about 1/2 hour before openning and probably already about a thousand people in line...about 8-10 wide and about 2 blocks long. Now Walmart is a later in the morning stop. There's 4 within about within a 10 mile radius of my house, so if one is out, just check the others. Amazing how the mob is gone by around 8:00. Last year scored all the BluRays I wanted between 2 stores.

 

Overall, seems like over the past few years I spend both less time and less money each year. This year there's really not much I/we need, so will have to see if there's anything in an ad that will trigger the impulse buy. Saw one thing in the Penney's ad so far....but not much has tripped my trigger so far.

[momof3luvs1]

WHen I was a teen my brother was manager at a kb so each black friday weekend I would work it. It was always super fun. We would get there at 3am and I would work until around 2pm. Then my friends and I would hit the malls for our own shopping needs until closing time..( the energy you have as a young adult...lol)

Then when I stopped doing that I started doing midnight madness at the outlets and then come home n sleep then around noon hit up some of the stores.

I started hardcore black friday shopping though a few years ago. Its always the same, outlets, kmart ( while dh does Target) then Dennys, tru, mall.

This year might change with all these early openings. Dh is NOT to keen on the idea of being at Target at 12am....

The biggest thing I have learned through the years is that it is fun. My bff n I go every year and have a blast! Its a tradition not just about getting stuff or the best deals but enjoying the beginning of the best time of the year =)

[mgmckny]

Ok, I'll age myself, started BF shopping in 1982 at Kmart to get wrapping paper at 6 am on my way to work at the Mall. The malls forced the small stores to open at the same time as the big stores then so from 7am-10 am we would have the grand total of 10 people, usually dads and sons looking at video games or dungeons and dragons stuff... I would cruise the mall and talk to other managers, pick up ornaments, and what other goodies were being given out. After I finally got out of retail i spent many happy years doing target and toys r us until the boys started getting older.. Now I mostly shop online, will hit a few stores but I never hit a mall on BF, too many years saying "this is my last year in retail".. Dec 1994 was my last christmas in retail.... Kind of miss it sometimes...Maybe will go back out in a few years.

[BlackFriDiva]

I've been BF shopping since about 2007. My craziness over it hasn't changed or gotten less. LOL. I'm steady learning new tricks and tips along the way though. I don't feel like anything for me has changed, well maybe for the better. I learned quickly I needed to be serious if I wanted the big items and to also bring a chair and a blanket LOL!

[TTFN10000]

When I first began many years ago my dad would go with me he would sit in the car with the newspaper or sit in the target cafe with the paper, then my husband went one year and he couldn't wait to come home being up by 4 he wanted to come home by 10 since he is up by 4 everyday. Now I go with my sister inlaw we drop my Dh off and go crazy shopping. I love to see the other people how crazy they get shopping. Last year there were 2 fights in Walmart and a cat fight Lolz meow . I go to get the good deals on DVD, clothes toys etc most of all the snow gloves from jcpenny. I Remeber in the early 90's Montgomery wards gave out Rudolph ornaments and watches I have them still they go on my tree every year.

 

I have a 13 yr old and a 3 year old to shop for big age difference but it is fun also great nieces and nephews and godchildren but I say I must have my Starbucks to keep me going .

[mistyinca]

My fondest Black Friday shopping memory comes from the mid 90's. My kids were little, and my mother, me, and my great aunt all piled into my mother's Plymouth Voyager minivan and headed to Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Mervyn's (remember them?), Thrifty (remember them?), and Longs (another one bites the dust).

 

Anyway, we piled that van so full of stuff that we had to make a pitstop at my mother's house and unload the van so we could go back out and buy more stuff. We finished sometime around 2pm, starving, and came back to eat Thanksgiving leftovers.

 

Some of the items I remember buying were Blues Clues notebooks, a fake christmas tree, lots of jackets, sweaters, and pajamas, candy and junk for stockings...

 

ahhh...good times.

[cireafan]

This was at the Simi Valley, CA Best Buy location during 2007 Black Friday. There were three high school guys in line that arrived first on Wednesday morning, played a lot of video games, and could not stop saying to people, "we're going to sell the tickets at the end." They had no plans to purchase anything. To get electricity to play video games, the guy moved his 2005 Scion Tc car to the front of the entrance door, and left the car running idle on for 36 hours non-stop. At about 3:00 AM before store opened at 5:00 AM, people in line at the back shouted to the employees that they were going to re-sell the tickets (doorbuster items). The employees asked all the people, "should they leave?," and everybody shouted "Yes, yes, yes." Then, they were told to leave and got out of the line, without any tickets given. As soon as the store opened, the three guys were crying hard down to the ground like babies watching them entered the store. The guy ran 36 hours non-stop in his 2005 Scion Tc for nothing, and damaged his car. He could not go home, and his parents had to call for a tow truck. Mommy was hearing her son crying.

 

They should have never said, "we're going to sell the tickets" in the first place. Never EVER tell people you're going to sell the tickets. And NEVER ever run your car for 36 hours idle non-stop. At least, they now learn their lesson.

Edited November 15, 2011 by cireafan

[Brad]

I stayed home, kept the site updated w/ the online sales non-stop from late Wednesday night until late morning Friday, then went to sleep

 

Same plan this year...

[Cblaramore]

My sister and I showed up at Walmart 3 hours before they opened for an ipod and found out people had been standing in line since noon Thanksgiving day for the 4 they were selling. Ended up buying it online for same price and personalized! through Apple while I waited in line for a DS that I could have just bought the next day still for the same price (they had way to many left! ha). But I love it just for the special time I get to spend with my sister and mom;)